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West Vancouver’s 2024 Christmas Dundarave Festival of Lights

Dundarave Festival of Lights

With its Christmas trees and free concerts, West Vancouver‘s Dundarave Festival of Lights is a great place to enjoy holiday festivities on the North Shore.

Special free events are scheduled to take place on the Saturdays of November 30th, December 7th, 14th and 21st in 2024.

For full details about the festival, continue reading or visit the official Dundarave Festival of Lights website.

 


This article contains the following information about the festival:

When and Where is the Festival? | What You’ll See | Forest of Miracles | Saturday Concerts & EventsAlso in the Area | Other Information


 

Dundarave Festival of Lights

 

Christmas Trees and Activities in West Vancouver

Billed as the “Ultimate Canadian Christmas” and running for over 25 years, the Dundarave Festival of Lights is a fairly quiet and peaceful winter holiday festival on weekdays. It’s a nice place to visit any time over the winter holiday season, but especially interesting on Saturdays when there is free live music and other activities.

As many as 55,000 people turn out to celebrate the season and admire the festival’s Christmas trees and holiday decorations over the course of the month. It’s a great community event!

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

North Shore Christmas Activities

 

When and Where is the Festival

This holiday season, the Dundarave Festival of Lights runs from November 30th, 2024, until the beginning of January in 2025. The event is headlined by special events on the first four Saturdays.

The Dundarave Festival of Lights takes place at Dundarave Park in West Vancouver, right at the waterfront by 150-25th Street. That’s where most of the trees are located and where the live events take place on Saturdays. A number of trees are also usually at Grosvenor Ambleside Galleria at 1355 Bellevue Avenue. This second venue is covered. It’s also near 14th Street and Marine Drive, about a 30-minute walk from Dundarave Beach along the seawall.

In addition to the waterfront area at Dundarave Beach and Grosvenor Ambleside, in past years Christmas trees used to be decorated at Millennium Park which is located by the waterfront at the end of 15th Street by Argyle Avenue.

 

What You’ll See at the Festival

Every year the North Shore festival hosts the Forest of Miracles which features dozens of decorated Christmas trees. The Dundarave Festival of Lights puts on four Saturdays of free live music and other activities. There is also a bonus concert from the Ridgeview Elementary Choir on Friday, December 6th in 2024.

The best times to visit the Dundarave Festival of Lights are during the special events on select Saturdays in the afternoons and at night when the Forest of Miracles is lit up. You’ll find lots of decorated trees most evenings, but it won’t be too crowded. It’s quite beautiful.

Heading to Dundarave in the late afternoon is also really nice. You can see the Christmas trees in the daylight and then go for a walk along the seawall towards Ambleside Park. You can then walk back to Dundarave at around dusk in time to see the trees again with all their lights at night. See below for a video showing what the place looks like.

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

Dundarave Christmas Forest of Miracles
Dundarave Forest of Miracles

 

Forest of Miracles

The Forest of Miracles at the Dundarave Festival of Lights features a collection of dozens of beautifully decorated Christmas trees at Dundarave Beach. It’s a festive fundraising attraction where local businesses, organizations and residents make a donation to the Lookout Society’s North Shore Shelter and then decorate their sponsored Christmas tree.

The collection of trees in the Forest of Miracles is a sight to see, and it’s all for a great cause. It’s also a nice addition to what is already one of the most beautiful places in the entire Lower Mainland.

(NOTE: If you are a business, organization or individual that wanted to have a tree in 2024, the cost to do so was $300 if booked early enough or $400 closer to the beginning of the festival.)

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

Forest of Miracles Video

To give you an idea of what to expect with respect to the Christmas trees, check out the following video. It features scenes of the Forest of Miracles both during the day and at night. As you’ll see, both the Christmas trees and the area in general are beautiful!

The video was taken at the beginning of December a few years ago. We arrived at around 4:00 pm, took some video, and then went for a walk along the seawall. We returned about an hour later at dusk and then filmed until it was dark. The winter sunset at Dundarave alone was worth the trip!

 

 

Concerts & Events

Free concerts and other activities take place at the Dundarave Festival of Lights on Saturdays leading up to Christmas. Below is what’s taking place in 2024.

  • November 30th, 2024 – the Dundarave Christmas Fair runs from noon until dusk. At this event, local businesses and organizations decorate their respective Christmas trees at Dundarave Beach. There’s usually live entertainment between 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm as well.
  • December 7th, 2024 – the Nativity and Paddle Songs runs from noon until dusk. At this event an elder from the local Squamish Nation blesses the Dundarave Nativity (which is an impressive, hand-carved work of art). The elder also leads a session of dancing, storytelling and reconciliation-themed activities. After that, there’s live music and entertainment with a couple of bands until around 4:00 pm.
  • December 14th, 2024 – Dundarave’s World Christmas features an afternoon of multicultural music and dancing from noon until around 4:00 pm. (NOTE: This event was cancelled this year due to high winds.)
  • December 21st, 2024Christmas Wassail & Bonfire Night features a giant bonfire and entertainment between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm on the last Saturday before Christmas. The event also includes a visit from Santa and more live music.

Below is a more detailed description of each of the above events.

Note: In 2024 there is also a fifth event. On Friday, December 6th, there is a School Concert from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm. It takes place at Grosvenor Ambleside at 1355 Bellevue Avenue. The free event features performances by the Ridgeview Elementary Choir.

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

Festival Shelter at Dundarave
Concert Shelter at Dundarave Beach

 

Dundarave Christmas Fair

The Dundarave Christmas Fair takes place on a Saturday afternoon close to the beginning of December. This is the day that Christmas tree sponsors come out and decorate their trees. The trees are pretty plain until they are all decorated, but there is live entertainment to keep things interesting.

In 2024, the Dundarave Christmas Fair happened on Saturday, November 30th, from noon until dusk. The entertainment schedule for this year was the following:

  • 12:00 pmThe Delibles
  • 1:00 pm – Mariachi Los Dorados
  • 2:00 pmYou Can Uke Too (audience members are encouraged to bring their own ukuleles and play too)
  • 3:00 pmPacific Spirit Choir
  • 4:00 pmWest Van Youth Band & the official opening of the Forest of Miracles

 

Squamish Elder at Forest of Miracles
Squamish Elder Wendy Charbonneau

 

Dundarave Nativity Paddle Songs

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, the Dundarave Nativity Paddle Songs event takes place from around noon until dusk. The event has a First Nations theme. It includes the work of local songwriters as well as traditional music by Squamish Elders.

The same as in recent years, Squamish Elder Wendy Charbonneau will bless the Dundarave Nativity and lead a session of storytelling and dancing.  She’s often accompanied by the Paddle Song Dancers. The schedule of events in 2024 is the following:

  • 11:30 am – Squamish Welcome
  • ​12:00 pmViper Central Duo (a local band) and Metis Jigging
  • ​1:00 pmSara Magal Trio
  • ​2:00 pmWest Van Adult Pops Band
  • 3:00 pmMark Kiliansky

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

Wendy Charbonneau and Family
Paddle Song Performers

 

World Christmas Concerts

Dundarave’s World Christmas was going to take place from around noon until dusk on December 14th in 2024. Due to high winds, however, it was cancelled.

In years when it does happen, the event features an international theme including both Bollywood and Scottish dancing in recent years.

The schedule for the 2024 event includes the following:

  • 12:00 pmUBC African Drummers
  • 1:00 pmShiamak (who leads a Bollywood dance class)
  • 2:00 pmScottish Country Dance & Ceilidh
  • 3:00 pmBurstin’ with Broadway (which is a choir with 100+ members)
  • 4:00 pm – Sarah Jane Scouten

 

Audience at Dundarave Festival Performance

 

Wassail & Bonfire Night

The last Saturday before Christmas Day is Christmas Wassail & Bonfire Night which usually goes from around 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm. It’s the final main event of the festival. Participants enjoy a large bonfire, the company of lots of people and a visit from Santa Claus.

In 2024 the event takes place on Saturday, December 21st. It starts at 2:00 this year, so an hour earlier than most years. That’s because the World Christmas event the weekend before got cancelled due to high winds. The choir Burstin’ with Broadway was going to perform that day but has been added to the schedule for this weekend instead.

This year, the event features carolling around the bonfire, some square dancing, and music with the Psych Latin Funk band Los Duendes.

The bonfire normally gets lit at dusk, sometime between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Santa arrives sometime around 5 o’clock and there are performances by Circus West too..

The entertainment schedule for 2024 is as follows:

  • 2:00 pmThe Delibles
  • 3:00 pmBurstin’ with Broadway (which is a choir with 100+ members)
  • 4:00 pmAmanda Wood & Friends
  • 5:00 pm – Hot Mammas
  • 6:00 pmLos Duendes
  • 7:00 pm – Square Dancing
  • 8:00 pm – Community carolling around the bonfire

To learn more about this event, see our article about Wassail & Bonfire Night.

 


For the event’s official website, click Dundarave Festival of Lights.


 

West Vancouver Wassail Bonfire Night
Wassail & Bonfire Night

 

Wassail Night Video

For an idea of what a Dundarave Festival of Lights event looks like, check out the following video. It shows scenes of Wassail & Bonfire Night from 2021.

In the video you’ll see the decorated Christmas trees. The tent you’ll see in the distance is where the live entertainment takes place. There isn’t always a bonfire at the events – just at the final event – on Wassail Night. There is, however, live music under the tented area on the first three or so Saturdays in December.

 

 

Also in the Area

While in the area, consider combining your trip to the Dundarave Festival of Lights with a visit to other nearby places of interest. The Beach House is a popular restaurant right beside the event venue at Dundarave. Just be sure to make reservations in advance, though, especially on Saturdays when there are live events at the beach.

Dundarave is also right on the water and connected to Ambleside by the seawall, making the area a great place for walks. And finally, just a couple of minutes away is the West Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The facility has one of the region’s best swimming pools, making it a fabulous place to visit most years if you have kids or want some indoor exercise.

Also on the North Shore, in North Vancouver, there is the Shipyards District. There you’ll find more Christmas lights as well as free ice-skating opportunities.

Other places to check out on the North Shore this time of year are the Local Ski Hills (which offer snowshoeing, tubing and other winter activities). There are also Christmas attractions like Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge, the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain, and the Holiday Hi-Light Festival at the Park and Tilford Gardens in North Vancouver.

If all those amazing places aren’t enough, just on the other side of the Lions Gate Bridge are the millions of Christmas lights at Bright Nights in Stanley Park. The Pacific National Exhibition also hosts the PNE Winter Fair in December, and the multi-dimensional film Soar with Santa shows at FlyOver Canada. Other great places to visit are the Vancouver Christmas Market and Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

 

Other Information

For more information about the West Vancouver event, see the Dundarave Festival of Lights website.

For more ideas on places to see Christmas lights in the Lower Mainland, click Top Things to do at Christmas.

And for more fun things to do in December, click Vancouver’s December Calendar.